EFF’s newly set salary cap turned controversial

Too late in to the latest players’ transfer market and short of addressing players already under contract, Ethiopian Football Federation announced a salary cap effective immediately. Despite being an issue concerning all footballers, the meeting was only among Premier League clubs. “The move is a typical example of divide and rule,” one participant suggested after the meeting. “The 1,600 USD before tax is the cap for an Ethiopian player while 2000 USD for a foreigner, appears the hasty decision is about nationality rather than capacity,” he added.
The argument is since clubs’ are the one directly responsible for financing the sport, it is none of the federation’s business, to set salary cap. Since the federation was not the one that set players’ staggering wage, it was not supposed to take such unreasonable major that could rock all parties involving around the sport. It appears a showoff of the federation that is under heavy pressure from Addis Ababa teams plotting to form their own league.
The least the federation should have done was that of calling the National General Assembly emergency meeting ahead of the new season players’ transfer window. Two weeks in to the window opening, it is too late to apply the new ruling for the clubs as they have already signed most of the players in their shopping list. The Federation also appears to forget players that are already under contract.
EFF president Essays Jirra and his vice president Colonel Awol (who single handedly sky rocketed players’ salary when he was Dedebit President) told participants the contract agreements are no more valid in the eye of the federation. What they forgot or willing to forget is that of the governing law in the country concerning Employment is that of Ethiopian Labor Law. Those who already have contracts are not in obligation to comply and those who signed before the federation’s bravado are simply to go to court and present their contract agreements.
Calling a meeting excluding footballers to set salary cap is not a solution to help the sport survive or it is not about fair distribution of the country’s wealth as the only five speakers that dominated the stage suggested. The problem is the management and unless professionals take over the leadership, nothing could be done except watching Ethiopian Football die. Those in charge of club administration would have their way to exploit the latest situation which is pushing under the table deal to backdate already signed contracts.